Combined puzzle and educational device



June 26,- 1923. 1,459,937

H. c. TEIPEL COMBINED PUZZLE AND EDUCATIONAL DEVICE Filed May 5, 1921 ls j Hem E TEi E1 I I I Patented June 26, 1923.

UlTED. STATES PATEN" OFFICE.

COMBINED PUZZLE AND EDUCATIONAL DEVICE.

Application filed May 5, 1921. Serial No. 467,200.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that HENRY C. TEIPE-L, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hartford, in the county of Washington and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Puzzle and Educational Devices; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates .to a device which is in the nature of a puzzle, but I contemplate also the use of the principle embodied therein in educational work, especially for the lower grades.

The device which forms the subject of my invention is a development along the general line of what is known as the fifteen puzzle. In this puzzle, as originally proposed, fifteen square blocks were arranged in a square box or frame, and the blocks could he slid longitudinally or transversely since there was one vacant space in the box. The problem was to shift the blocks in this manner until a predetermined order of arrangement was attained.

The object of my invention is generally to construct a frame in an improved manner to contain fifteen blocks, buttons or the like, one vacant space being left to allow shifting of the buttons to change the order or relation thereof.

A more specific object of the invention is to construct an inexpensive device of this kind in which the buttons are secured against removal from the frame, thereby preventing any cheating on the part of the person working the puzzle. The buttons may have printed on their surface figures, letters, or other indicia which may form an attractive way of presenting simple prob lems in number work or spelling for the kindergarten or primary work in school.

In describing my invention reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fi re 1 is a plan view of one form in whic my invention may be presented.

Figure 2 is a plan View of a modifiedform of my invention.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the blanks from which the preferred form of holder is made said figure showing the main blank and the end blanks.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional Figure 6.

view through the device on the line of Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 5-5 of Figure 6, and I Figure G is a plan view of the completed holder. i i

The holder for containing the buttonsor blocks is in its preferred form inadefrom a sheet metal blank shown in Figure 3. The ends 10 and 11 of the blankare folded, as shown at 10 and 11 in Figure 5. Thebody of the blank has a series of slots 12 cut therein, and between the slots 12 are formed the rectangular portions '18 which are connected to the remainder of the blank by the web portions 14. The portions of the blank which contain the slots, are folded transversely so as to form T-shaped portions in which the portion 13 forms thetop of the T as shown at 13 in Figure 5, and the web portion 14. forms the stem of the T as shown at 14 in Figure 5. When the blank is folded in this manner, transverse channels 15 are formed therein, the upper portions of the channels being restricted by the flanges formed by the surfaces 13. The slots 12 thus form channels which connect the channels 15, as shown at 12 in Figure 6. After the blank has been folded in this manner, the endsof the channels 15 are closed by the side pieces 16 and 16*, the notches 17 formed in these side pieces fitting over the web po-r- The side piece 16 is shorter than the other side piece, so that when the device is assembled, one of the slots as shown at 18, extends to the periphery of the device. This permits the ready insertion of the buttons 19, which are each provided with any suitable indicia, such, for example, asthe numbers shown in Figure 1. These may be shifted around by the pupil to form different sums to be added,

or if presented'in the form of a puzzle, may

be shifted around so as to run consecutively from 1to 15, as shown in Figure 1.

In Figure 2 I have shown another form in which the puzzle may be presented, in which instead of the buttons 19, I provide a series of square buttons 22 on which are printed various pictorial representations 23. As shown hereineach picture extends over the surface of a number of different blocks, and the problem presented to the solver is to shift the buttons so as to complete the pictures. In order to prevent cheating, or to prevent anyone from arranging the buttons by any means except the one intended, I provide a lock 24, which may be inserted in the hole 25, after the buttons have been in-' serted in the holder. This makes it impossible to remove the buttons from the holder in order to change the arrangement thereof, unless one has the key to the lock.

While I have illustrated the preferred forms in which my invention may be embodied, it Will be understood that other modifications may be made Within thescope oftheinvention,as'claimed; It will also be understood thatthe invention maybe used in many different ways for the presentation of puzzles, or for educational purposes, all

' of Which a'rewvithin the scope of the inven 1. A device of the character described, comprising a strip 'ot metal folded on itself so as to form transverse channelsfand T- shaped portions between the channels, longitudinal slots being cut'to connect the transverse channels and side strips secured to the sides of the first named strip after it has been folded so as to form closures for the transverse channels; a

2. A device of the character described comprising a'plurality of communicating longitudinal and transverse slots, buttons slidably-secured in said slots and having heads which collectively form a continuous fiat surface, and pictorial representations on the heads of the buttons; each of said pictorial representations extending-over the surface of a plurality of buttons so that it is necessary to arrange the buttons in a certain predetermined relation in the pictures.

In testimony that I claimthe foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Hartford, in the county of \Vashington and State ofVViscons'in.-

V HENRY C. TEIP EL.

order to complete 

